Comeback race attracts almost 15,000 birds

Homer

The highly popular comeback race the same weekend as OB Inland Nat attracted just short of 15,000 birds released in Roscrea County Tipperary last Saturday at 9.00am in a Lt Easterly wind.

Section winners filled the top three places with 1st Open winner the ace Ahoghill partnership of Young McManus & Sons. Their Blue cock bred from Louis Thijs direct stock was timed at 11.57am to record velocity 1428 for the 144 miles to Croft Lofts in Ahoghill.

Strabane & District 8/171 – D Mullen 1423, D McNulty 1345, 1343, 1342. Well done Dessie. The Strabane district racing pigeon club birds were in Tullamore on 16th April. The birds were liberated at 9:30am into a north west wind. This was a good tight race and a well deserved win for another new partnership of Devine and Harper. This was David’s first win since he joined the club three years ago.

Borough of Ballymena Update - Best birds in the Ballymena area were timed in Ahoghill, another fantastic card for Paddy McManus with five early birds, Mr & Mrs Robinson were a close runner-up and looking forward to the cross channel races. Reid Bros & McCloy were 1st Cullybackey with Alan Darragh on the same yard and J Eagleson & Sons completed a good day with another first in Ballymena.

Mid Antrim Update – The comeback race at the weekend was flown from Roscrea and despite the collection problems a good entry was sent from local lofts with birds collected late Friday at Cullybackey and Harryville where good help was available. What a result for Paddy McManus in Ahoghill Flying Club, the ace racer locally won 1st MAC, 1st Sect B & 1st Open NIPA with 14,747 birds competing. His yearling Blue cock was timed at 11.57hrs to record velocity 1428 flying to The Croft in Ahoghill some 144 miles. This late bred was well trained last year and this season had every race, showing for the first time in this race. He was driving the hen another from the direct Louis Thijs stock 3rd Club in this race and a previous winner from Fermoy. The birds are trained twice a week from Banbridge, this loft is the one to beat every week!

North West Review – In the comeback race from Roscrea the best bird in Coleraine was timed by Hanson & Harpur of the Coleraine Premier recording velocity 1398, just clear of Diamond Bros by one yard. Best bird in the local area was timed by J & M Milliken of Rasharkin (1415) while J Hutchinson & Son had 1st Ballymoney HPS, 1st Dervock and 1st Ballymoney West Combine.